Topic: V8 worth the costs?

[Gentleman Jack]

So let me ask this would it be better to buy a used n/a if your going to do the V8 swap vs the Gxp

Actually, it would be better to buy a small pick up truck if your going to do a V8 swap....

BAM!

[ihawk95]

So let me ask this would it be better to buy a used n/a if your going to do the V8 swap vs the Gxp

I can't think of why you would spend extra on a turbo.  Other than the suspension is better in them.  You're going to end up swapping enough other stuff, that it makes more sense to me to find an NA.  I could be completely wrong on this.

Now that I think about it...most of the swaps I know are NA's.

[2kwk4u]

From what I can gather, the wiring is less complicated - for whatever reason - going from an N/A than from a GXP.  However aside from the suspension, you also have the dual exhaust rear fascia and different front end on the GXP (if you prefer that one over the N/A)...  but then you also have the seats w/ GXP embroidered in them (and I would argue that the LNF motor is what makes a GXP a GXP).  Tough choice...  I plan to keep my GXP and do a V8 conversion when the time comes, for what it's worth...

[IBDRINKEN]

I would think that N/A s better in price if you can pick one up on the cheap side

[ihawk95]

Yeah, but if you're doing a V8 conversion, you're probably swapping the exhaust anyway.

If you already have an lnf and you want to convert it cool. Personally, I want an lnf in addition to my NA, so I would buy one and convert my NA, not the lnf.

[Sly Bob]

Joe.
Why not use the money when the times comes to go ahead and get a C7.

The problem with just buying a 'vette is the same reason I didn't buy a 'vette in 2008 when I bought the Solstice. The Solstice turns heads like the 'vette never has and at least around here you don't see the Solstice on every corner in the summer.

I for one would rather have the Solstice with a V8 and one day I'll have one.

[IBDRINKEN]

I was looking at maybe picking up a N\A at a cheap price and then do the conversion. I have seen them as low as 7000 and at the price it might be worth it

[ihawk95]

I was looking at maybe picking up a N\A at a cheap price and then do the conversion. I have seen them as low as 7000 and at the price it might be worth it

IMO, that would be the way to go.  Pick up an NA on the cheap and convert it.

[miller11386]

The problem with just buying a 'vette is the same reason I didn't buy a 'vette in 2008 when I bought the Solstice. The Solstice turns heads like the 'vette never has and at least around here you don't see the Solstice on every corner in the summer.

I for one would rather have the Solstice with a V8 and one day I'll have one.

Thats fine, but that brings me back to the argument that its about looks, not performance

I think that the V8 is not about power... more nostalgia and sound for most folks.

A Stock c6 will spank any kappa v8 swap car in any scenario.... v8 kappas are all about "the show"... very little about the "go"

Nothing wrong with either, just saying that a lot of folks confuse "v8 swap" with "supra fast performance upgrade" which is not necessarily the case.

But hey, to each their own.. if it makes you smile, that's all that matters. I am still waiting for some lunatic to take a v8 kappa and slap a pair of snails on the back end... that could get interesting

[Helios]

A Stock c6 will spank any kappa v8 swap car in any scenario.... v8 kappas are all about "the show"... very little about the "go"

I'm not so sure about that. You have data on this claim? ANY V8 swapped kappa? That's a bold statement. I'd like to put one of the Solbras up against a stock C6 and see what happens. I bet you'd be eating your words.

[L-N-Fn]

V8 are not worth it, unless you like the sound. My LNF is as fast or faster than any v8 kappa, and would give a C6 z06 a very good run.                                                                                                                                                                                                coupe 993 5mt. GMPP CAI, GMPP tune+ HPT, 3 inch catlles ext. Dejon Inter cooler and Piping, AME water meth, Garrett Manifold, EFR 6758, Werks springs, 2010 Cobalt lifters, 5th injector, CCW Werks rims 275 front-295 rear. Zok cross member, sway bars. 407 WHP.

[miller11386]

I'm not so sure about that. You have data on this claim? ANY V8 swapped kappa? That's a bold statement. I'd like to put one of the Solbras up against a stock C6 and see what happens. I bet you'd be eating your words.

I doubt it. For one, the kappa doesn't have the contact patch that the vette has on its massive rear tires. Also the vette is lower with a wider wheel base as well as more aggressive differential gearing and more gears.

I am talking about the basic LS3 swapped car here. Not a LS3+t56+ forced induction/spray etc. I haven't seen anything too crazy along those lines anyway in the kappa world.

Feel free to stop by the Canton area with a V8 kappa. I have a few C6's around that will gladly come out to play. More realistically, we would need to see a v8 Kappa go through the standard "car and driver" paces. 0-60... 60-0, slalom course, quarter mile, etc.

[ChopTop]

2014 Corvette Stingray Starts at $51,995 (Base)


Options
—3LT Interior Package (10-speaker Bose stereo, satellite/HD radio, head-up display, navigation, heated and vented seats, Napa leather) will cost $8005.
—Z51 Performance Package (high-performance gear ratios, additional cooling, 19-inch front and 20-inch rear wheels, slotted brake rotors, electronic limited-slip differential) will cost $2800.
—The Competition sport seats will retail for $2495.
—Magnetic Ride Control with the Performance Traction Management system will be $1795.
—Carbon-fiber interior trim will be $995.



A GM entry-level, 2-seat, sports-car for the rest of us, zero....
A entry-level, 2-seat, sports-car, for the rest of the world, one (Mazda).

[2kwk4u]

How Does The HOT ROD Solstice Stack Up Against the World's Best?
The following is Motor Trend's testing data on some of the world's fastest exotics. We also included the Corvette Z06 not only because we used its engine for our car, but also because its performance puts it in the league of the German and Italian exotics costing a whole lot more. Don't want to take the time and effort to build your own LS7 Solstice? Go buy a Z06 Corvette-it's spectacular. And, if the truth be told, it's cheaper than our project Solstice.
    HOT ROD Solstice   Corvette Z06   Porsche Carrera GT   Ferrari Enzo   Lamborghini Murcielago
List price:   N/A   $69,000   $448,300   $652,830   $284,850
Quarter-mile:   10.99 @ 133 mph   12.0 @124 mph   11.1 @ 133 mph   11.0 @ 133 mph   11.7 @ 133 mph
600-foot slalom:   74.9 mph   70.8 mph   73.2 mph   71.0 mph   66.2 mph
Braking, 60-0:   95 feet   110 feet   101 feet   106 feet   110 feet

Read more: http://www.hotrod.com/projectbuild/hdrp_0607_ls7_pontiac_solstice_road_test/viewall.html#ixzz2RrnjDfk2

[ihawk95]

And the above is why the Kappa was designed to shoehorn in a V8.  How did I miss this?  Because I didn't know GM tried this!  I knew they were doing some performance stuff, but didn't realized they did a swap!

[ihawk95]

So anyone know what happened to that bad boy Solstice?  Or did they just play with it and then tear it apart?

[Sol Asylum]

It was a project that was done for Hot Rod magazine, I don't think GM had much to do with it.  The car was taken to a bunch of shows but I don't know whatever happend to it.

[Gentleman Jack]

My stock C6 penis is bigger than your heavily modded turbo penis...

I also love the use if the word ANY in some of the above posts....

Be realistic people!

It is possible for a kappa to be faster than a C6

It is cheaper to bolt on a few go faster parts on the existing engine than it is to buy a new engine

A well built V8 will last longer under same conditions (on average) than a well built turbo 4.

Miller- the "supra" drop was great. Nice work.

2kwk- thank you for being the only person to provide ANY (see what I did there?) factual evidence.

This topic should go sit in a corner with the big brake upgrade topics....


-ignoramus #2

[Kelu]

This topic should go sit in a corner with the big brake upgrade topics....

From this topic:
1) I found out how much the new Corvette is going to cost and that pissed me off big time.
2) All the real data about LS7 Kappa
3) Other things

You go and sit in a corner

[2kwk4u]

Oh, and just for good measure...

http://www.kappaperformance.com/forum/index.php?topic=4437.0

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zXGYX9DDbGk

[miller11386]

Miller- the "supra" drop was great. Nice work.

huh?

[2kwk4u]

Nothing wrong with either, just saying that a lot of folks confuse "v8 swap" with "supra fast performance upgrade" which is not necessarily the case.

[Gentleman Jack]

If that was autocorrect dropping the "supra" in there, I want your phone. That is some witty shi7.

[Critterman]

That twin turbo, V8 Sky has to be scary to drive.

[ihawk95]

It was a project that was done for Hot Rod magazine, I don't think GM had much to do with it.  The car was taken to a bunch of shows but I don't know whatever happend to it.

If you read the article, it says the GM Performance engineers were involved with the build.  They got the car from GM before it was titled and the engineers helped to fit the engine and worked on a lot of the weight reduction calcs.

Unless the article is full of chit?